A Surprise For Uther
by Thorn17
Summary: Although it is revealed that Merlin has magic, it is not done in a way that anybody expected...
1. A surprise for Uther

The Great Hall was only a few minutes away from my chambers, but every minute felt like an age after staying up until the early hours of the morning mending Arthur's armour. I felt the glares of the courtiers as the guards admitted me into the Hall.

"Your servant has seen fit to grace us with his presence, Arthur," sneered Uther Pendragon. After what he had done to Gaius, I could not yet bring myself to call him 'the King' again. "Boy, give me one good reason why I shouldn't have you executed."

Let me see, the fact that I had saved his son's life more times than I cared to remember was a good reason. Or the one about where I stopped him being assassinated by his own daughter. Or perhaps even the one where I saved the whole of Camelot from certain death by Cenred's men. But no, I couldn't say any of these, because then Uther would know that I had magic and he would do the same to me as what he did to Gaius.

"I cannot think of one, Sire," I lied through gritted teeth, keeping my gaze to the floor at all times.

"Then you are sentenced to death." I fell to my knees as the courtiers laughed.

"Please Sire, I beg you. Prince Arthur needs me." The truth in this was seemingly oblivious to everybody but me. My comment even provoked a laugh from Uther himself.

"Let's ask him then," said Uther. Arthur had remained silent up until now and he had avoided eye contact with me. "Arthur, is it true that you _need_ this servant?" Uther said the word 'servant' as if it left a foul taste in his mouth.

Arthur stepped forward silently. He seemed to ponder on his word choice before speaking.

"I always will."

The room fell silent as Uther's face became murderous.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Father, during Merlin's first week in Camelot, he saved my life. He has then continued to save my life, whether it be through his actions or...his magic."

The court inhaled a deep breath in shock, but I had beaten them to it. "You knew?" I exclaimed.

"I've known ever since my quest to the Perilous Lands, Merlin." replied Arthur. "The keeper of the gate said that I would need strength and magic to complete my quest. I just didn't realise that 'Strength' and 'Magic' were actually two people, and let's be honest Merlin, between you and Gwaine there is no way that I could've mistaken him for Magic and you for Strength once I'd worked out what the gatekeeper meant."

If I didn't know him any better, I'd say that he was trying to suppress a smile.

"Guards, seize him!" screamed Uther as he drew his own sword and pointed it against my chest.

"I would not do that if I were you, Father." Arthur had drawn his own sword, and it was pointing at Uther.

"This is treason!" yelled Uther. He did not move his sword, nor did Arthur move his. "You have enchanted my son!" There was no doubt that this venomous sentence was aimed at me.

I made an exasperated noise as I tried to stand. My knees were shaking. "What are you going to do, Arthur?"

"Well done, Merlin. You've asked an intelligent question!" He muttered something to himself, but I understood him. He'd said "Now we just need to work out an intelligent answer."


	2. Merlin's decision

"I demand an explanation!" screamed Uther, although his angry eyes were still wary of the sword pointed at his chest.

"I cannot let you execute Merlin, Father. Even though he has used his magic frequently, it has never been done with evil intent. He did it to protect you, to protect me, and to protect Camelot." Arthur's words triggered a murmur of agreement from the courtiers. I marveled at their ability to flit dispassionately between two sides of an argument depending on which Pendragon male had the most power at that particular moment. "You can't honestly expect me to allow the execution of Merlin, a worthy -if not a little clumsy - man who uses the magic he possesses for good, when you would not allow the execution of the Lady Morgana, a person -albeit your illegitimate daughter and therefore my half sister - who has proven herself to be an evil enchantress and desires nothing more than the fall of Camelot."

"Morgana was different! She was corrupted by Morgause when the witch abducted her!" protested Uther, a tear rolling down his cheek. Before Arthur could change his mind and move his sword from its current position, I slowly rose to a standing position and turned to face him. The members of the court held their breath as I spoke my first words as an acknowledged sorcerer. I had waited for this moment for so long, and unfortunately these words were not the grand secret-revealing speech that I had prepared.

"Actually, Your Highnesses, Morgana was plotting the downfall of Uther even before she was abducted. On one occasion, she met with outlaws and plotted his assassination to take place at her father's memorial. When all of Camelot came under a strange enchantment and fell into a deep sleep, she was the only person to not be affected." I said, carefully watching both Arthur and Uther for their reactions. They were both unreadable. Before I could say anything else, a great cry came from one of the female courtiers stood behind me.

"Liar!" she screamed as she began racing towards me with her arm raised above her head, as if she was going to strike me. I instinctively raised my hand and cast a spell to defend myself.

"_Swefe nu!_" As my eyes flashed gold and the ancient words left my lips, I realised how strange it felt to speak them visibly in front of a crowd. I wished Gaius was here to see this. The fair-headed woman was knocked backwards and fell onto the floor. She did not move, but not because of the reason that everybody presumed. As I turned back to face the Pendragon men, I heard whispers of 'Murderer' and 'Uther was right' coming from the courtiers. True to form, and to protect their own skins, they had reverted back to belonging on Uther's side of the magic argument.

"This _sorcerer_ has just murdered a member of the court!" Uther's face looked as equally triumphant as it did repulsed.

"She isn't dead," I said quickly. "She's just asleep." Arthur signaled for a guard to confirm my story. Arthur believed me, but the others needed reassurance, which the guard gave. During this brief moment, I moved myself closer to Arthur's side.

"Who is she?" I whispered. Arthur's head turned to face me, but he kept the sword pointed at his father's chest.

"One of Lady Morgana's childhood friends. They used to go riding together." He paused for a moment as he waited for my reply. For once, I could not think of one. "What are we going to do, Merlin? I can't kill my own father, but I can't let him kill you either."

"Never knew you cared for a servant so much, Arthur," I joked. A glare from Arthur told me that he wasn't in the mood for jokes. He was right. This was serious. "Sorry. Perhaps you could let me go, and then after I've gone, you can pretend that I had put you under an enchantment after all?"

"And let my father put a warrant out for your arrest and have you sentenced to death? Absolutely not. You may have magic, Merlin, but it won't be enough to outsmart the Knights of Camelot."

"I've managed to outsmart you enough times and you're a knight," I pointed out. Arthur chose to ignore this comment.

"Where would you go?" he asked, obviously realising that my suggestion was the only way that we would both get out of this situation alive. I was surprised by how little I had to think about it.

"The caves where we found the Last Dragonlord."

Arthur nodded. "I remember those. Go then, I will come and find you when it is safe."

This time I nodded in acceptance, and took a deep breath.

"_Bedyrne ús! A-_"

"And Merlin, I'm sorry that this happened too late for Gaius."

My eyes met his briefly before I closed them to finish chanting the spell that would take me far away from here.

"_Bedyrne ús! Astýre ús_"

When I next opened them, I was standing in my father's cave.


	3. Arthur's choice

As I lay on the cold ground of my fathers' cave trying to sleep, I knew the attempt would be futile. Too many thoughts were dancing across my mind. It had been over three months since my flee from Camelot to my self-banishment here, but I'd heard nothing from Arthur. I tried not to be too surprised and disappointed, as I knew that I should be grateful that it was the lack of news that was irritating me, and not the wrong type of news. This morning, I had silently listened in on the conversation of a couple of passing villagers, and had learned that Arthur had been put under house arrest — if 'house' arrest was the appropriate term for someone who lived in a castle — with Uther having issued a warrant for my capture, dead or alive. I wasn't going anywhere in a hurry. Although I knew that listening in on a conversation was unethical, I was glad I had. As much as I hated to admit it, I'd been beginning to doubt Arthur's last promise to me. Now that I knew that he couldn't get in contact, instead of wouldn't, I could sleep easier. Well, that was the theory at least. Even though I had a thin blanket, I shivered at the chilly night air. Keeping my eyes closed, I created a mental image of the pile of wood in the fire pit behind me.

"_Forbearnan_," I whispered. The crackle of the flames behind me indicated that the spell had worked. The fire would burn and keep me warm until the morning. I had kept my magic a secret for so many years in Camelot that it felt strange being able to use it whenever I wanted, even though I was getting used to being on my own. I tried not to dwell on the past, but it was difficult. There was no Gaius to confide in, no Gwen to console, no Morgana to stop and no Arthur to annoy. I couldn't even call Kilgharrah for fear that he may give away my position. If a dragon was to appear where a known Dragonlord used to live, the news might reach Uther's ears.

"Merlin?" The voice was so quiet that I began to doubt it was really there at all. My body had frozen, and my mind couldn't think of any spells that would help me in this situation. Come on, I thought, think Merlin, think. Have all those horrible training sessions with Arthur and the Knights taught you nothing? Unfortunately, I was facing the wrong way to squint a little and see if I could make out the location of the voice's owner. I briefly thought about using the teleportation or sleeping spells to escape, like I had from Camelot, but this would mean having to give away my position. The fire was probably illuminating me more than was wise, but again, extinguishing it would look suspicious.

"Merlin? Is that you?" The voice had only grown a little stronger, but that was all I needed to recognise its owner. I stood up instantly, accidentally dropping my blanket into the fire.

"Arthur!" I stood there, literally grinning from ear to ear. I'd never been so happy to see the 'dollop head'. Arthur would probably tell me to 'stop looking so pleased with myself'. I saw that Arthur's sword had been brandished, but he was now in the process of putting it back in the scabbard. He was muttering.

"Of course, I should've known it was you. Who else could light a fire without moving?" He paused for a second and looked at me. "Merlin?"

"Yes?"

"You do realise that something other than wood is still burning?" He gestured towards the remnants of my blanket which was probably, by now, severely fire-damaged.

"Ah," I said unhelpfully, as I dragged the blanket out of the flames using an edge which had not yet been touched. "_Brimstréam!_" The pockets of fire on the blanket were doused instantly with a jet of water.

Arthur shook his head. "Who would've thought, after all this time, that 'Merlin the idiot' actually turned out to be 'Merlin the sorcerer'?"

"I didn't enjoy keeping it from you, but it was the only way. The amount of times I saved your life and you still thought I was a complete idiot..." One glare from Arthur told me that he was not interested in having the 'I told you so' conversation. "Sorry."

"Am I allowed to come into your...cave, or do I have to learn some kind of magic first?" His sarcasm made me realise just how lonely I'd been.

"I'd say that you hadn't had your breakfast this morning, judging by your tone, but seeing as it's the middle of the night..."

"Good observation, Merlin," said Arthur as he sat down next to the fire.

"How did you get out? This morning I heard people saying you were under house arrest."

Arthur shrugged. "The guards are stupid. They'll drink anything alcoholic, given to them by anyone, so I had Guinevere put a sleeping potion in their wine." He paused, as if struggling to find the right words to continue. "I promised that I'd come for you when it was safe. It was naïve of me to believe that it would ever be safe for you in Camelot while my father lives."

This thought had crossed my mind as well. "So why are you here if I can't go back?"

"My father should have known that I would try and escape. Once I'd succeeded, it was only a matter of where I would go, and I knew that you would be here."

"Are you sure that you weren't followed? That Uther didn't just make it easy for you to escape, knowing that you would come and find me? He'd have me executed on sight and you returned to the castle."

"No, I'm not sure," he said simply. "That's why as soon as the dawn comes, we're leaving. Get some rest, we've got a busy day tomorrow."

It was like I'd never left.


	4. A Time for Explanations

Arthur woke me at dawn. The dark circles under his eyes told me that he'd hardly slept. Neither had I. New worries had replaced the old. Why hadn't Arthur mentioned my magic, the very reason why I had left Camelot? He must have known that I wanted to explain properly, that I wanted to apologise for keeping it from him. Did he hate me for it? If so, why was he here, helping me? Even amongst my confusion, I did not believe that Arthur was here to spy on me for Uther. Nothing made sense.

"Come on, Merlin, we need to leave." Arthur's voice interrupted my thoughts.

I didn't move straight away. "Where are we going?"

Arthur paused for a second. "I was thinking about Ealdor —"

"No," I shook my head vehemently. "That would endanger my mother. Besides, Uther probably has soldiers there waiting for us. He knows that it's where I was born."

"True," said Arthur. "And you can't address my father like that, Merlin. He is still the King."

"Sorry," I apologised through gritted teeth, refraining from adding that a King should deserve their title, which Uther didn't. I paused for a minute and then spoke again, with Arthur obviously struggling to think of a safe haven that we could reach. "I've been thinking." Arthur rolled his eyes. He obviously didn't like the idea of that! "No, listen to me! We could go back to Camelot, and —"

"What?" he said incredulously, his jaw dropping. "After all the trouble that we both went to in order to escape, you want to go _back_?"

I stood, letting my blanket fall to the ground. "I have a plan."

"Merlin," he sighed. "I know that this is hard for you to accept, but there is nothing for you in Camelot now. Gaius is gone, and my father won't allow you to live. You're a_ sorcerer._"

"And you're Prince Arthur of Camelot, but that hasn't stopped you ending up here, has it?"

"Merlin, I came here to find _you_."

"But why, Arthur? All your life, you've been told that magic is evil and should be destroyed at all costs, that it killed your mother. Do you know how hard it was for me to keep my magic a secret? To wake up every day knowing that it could be my last? To know that all the times I have saved Camelot, you and Uther included, would have counted for nothing if Uther had discovered my magic? And then here I stand before you now, unharmed, and a sorcerer. I just don't understand!" All of my emotions came pouring out, but I was too exhausted to hold them in.

Arthur's expression was unreadable. "I was thinking about all of that while I was under house arrest." He paused before continuing. "When I first discovered that you had magic, I was angry. Angry that it was happening right under my nose, angry because I believed magic was dangerous, and angry because you hadn't told me. All those years you were my servant, all the quests we shared, and you hadn't told me that you were a sorcerer. When I'd calmed down and reasoned it all out — that you couldn't tell me because, admittedly, my attitude towards magic has varied at times, and my relationship with my father is very — I was just angry that you felt that you_ should_ have to hide your magic."

It took me a few moments to absorb all of this information, and to form a response. "You said_ believed._"

"What?" My short response had puzzled Arthur. To be honest, I was still quite confused myself.

"You said that you_ believed_ magic was dangerous. Not _believe_. Past tense."

Arthur understood. "I remembered all the times that you had saved my life and that you had saved Camelot, even when it meant protecting the man that would have you executed if he knew how you did it. My father has always told me that all magic is evil and should be destroyed at all costs, that it killed my mother. If he lied to me about that, I began wondering what else he was lying about. But you're not evil, Merlin, and neither was Morgana until fear of our father's wrath pushed her straight into the arms of Morgause."

I wasn't sure if I agreed with him regarding Morgana, but it wasn't the time for that conversation. "Are you saying that you believe your father's attitude towards magic is wrong?" I needed to have that point clear in my head.

"Yes. You've convinced me of that much at least, Merlin."

"If you can see that, maybe you can convince your father that he's wrong about magic! I know that some people use magic for evil acts, but not everybody who is born with magic chooses to do that!" I wasn't sure that it was going to work, but surely it would be worth a try?

"My father won't listen. He'll just think you've put me under another spell."

I thought for a moment. "Then, we'll just have to force him to see that he's wrong."

"You're plotting something, aren't you?"

I smiled and nodded. Arthur sighed.

"Go on then," he said. "I'm not getting my hopes up too high, but lets hear your plan."


	5. The Plan

"_That's_ your plan? Have you gone _completely _mad?"

"I don't see what your problem is." Arthur was completely overreacting, in my opinion. My plan was to bring Ygraine back to life, so that she could reign alongside her husband and son. Uther loved his wife dearly, and if my magic could bring her back, surely his attitude towards sorcerers and magic would soften.

"My problem, Merlin, is that you want to use _magic_ to convince the King that his attitude towards said magic is wrong! He's not going to simply let you wander into the court and perform a few magic tricks to convince him that he's wrong! And anyway, even if he _did _welcome you back with open arms, there is _no way _that he would allow you to use magic to bring my mother back! It was magic that _killed _her, Merlin, unless you'd forgotten that!" Arthur's voice was laced with sarcasm, but I reluctantly admitted that he _did_ have a point. If my plan had unnerved Arthur himself, how would _Uther _react? How would Ygraine, Queen of Camelot, react to being summoned back to the Land of the Living, when it was her living husband that had - albeit inadvertently - caused her death in the first place?

"Arthur, I have the power over Life and Death. I can choose who lives, and who dies." Of course, _I _understood that it wasn't as simple as that, but thought that Arthur was having enough trouble processing what I had already told him, without telling him the price that would need to be paid in order to fulfill my plan. However, it seemed that Arthur disagreed with this.

"At what price?" Arthur's gaze was fixed on mine.

"What do you mean?" I feigned ignorance, gulping slightly as I spoke, desperately trying not to give anything away.

Arthur rolled his eyes in exasperation. "I'm_ not_ an idiot Merlin, despite what you might think. Surely if you give life to somebody, some kind of exchange must be made, or price must be paid. 'A life for a life', isn't that the saying? Whose life would you give in return?"

"I don't know," I lied.

"Merlin," Arthur's voice changed tone, becoming menacing rather than confused. "You'd better not be thinking what I think you're thinking."

"How would I know what you're thinking? I'm magic, not psychic."

"Don't try and be smart, Merlin, it doesn't suit you. You're planning on giving your own life to bring Ygraine back, aren't you? Well, aren't you?" I didn't answer immediately. I didn't want to lie to Arthur, but the truth would do me no favours either. "Answer me!" Arthur demanded an answer, so I finally yielded and gave him one. Unfortunately, it was not the one that he wanted to hear.

"Yes, fine, alright!" I admitted. "I am willing to give my life to bring back your mother." Arthur opened his mouth to protest, but I raised my hand to silence him. "I firmly believe that Ygraine is the only person who can change Uther's attitude towards magic. Uther didn't know that the sorceress Nimueh would sacrifice Ygraine's life for yours, and has blamed himself for it ever since! So, if the work of another sorcerer can right this wrong, then I honestly believe that this action, alongside Ygraine's encouragement, may be enough to soften Uther's heart and allow magic back into the kingdom."

"Yes, '_may_' be enough. Not '_will_' be enough. Even if you could guarantee that it would definitely work, I still couldn't let you do it, Merlin!"

His concern was touching, and it was in this moment that I realised the true depth of Arthur's loyalty to me, to our friendship, but in my heart I knew that my plan was the only way to stop the persecution that I had seen. Uther could not possibly continue to punish sorcerers for possessing and using magic if the reason for his hatred of them was removed. Could he? "If it is the only way to stop my kind being hunted, or living in fear, then I have to try. You'd do anything to save the people of Camelot if it was within your power. I _already_ possess the power to save my people, my fellow sorcerers, from being persecuted, and so I'll use it."

Arthur did not speak for a while, obviously trying to think of an alternative plan, or failing that, an alternative sacrifice. I already knew that there wasn't one, but waited patiently for him to come to the same conclusion. Finally, he spoke, breaking the silence.

"I can't allow you to do this, Merlin. Believe me when I say that I _will _find a way of stopping you sacrificing your life for my father's mistakes. At the minute, however, I am willing to concede that we _do _need to return to Camelot. It's where this problem began, and it's where it'll end." I nodded, unwilling to argue with Arthur any more at present. "The only question is, how can we get you back into Camelot without you being killed on sight? The Knights will still be looking for you. They won't mind the return of their Prince, but the return of an outlawed sorcerer might not go down as well."

An idea formed in my mind. "Consider it done." I grinned, and then began to mutter the spell that would significantly change my appearance. I figured by now that everybody had forgotten about Dragoon, and that even if they hadn't, nobody would be looking for an old man when Uther was obsessed with finding a young sorcerer.

"_Miht dagan, beþecce me. Adeadaþ þisne gast min freondum ond min feondum_"

"_You're_..." Arthur pointed at me, belatedly realising my secret identity.

I croaked my response. "Dragoon the Great, at your service."

**Authors Note: I do not own the spells used. I have not created them. They are taken from the 'Spells' section of the Merlin Wiki website.**


	6. Initiating an Inevitable Chain of Events

Returning to Camelot proved to be easier than I had imagined. I led the way, hobbling through the grounds of the citadel, knowing that the attention of the guards would almost certainly be fixed on Arthur, who walked a few paces behind me. I had reasoned - correctly, it seemed - that nobody would be in the slightest bit concerned about an old man entering the castle grounds when Camelot's only heir had returned after a long period of unexplained absence. The guards reacted exactly as I had anticipated, calling to Arthur and ignoring me, ignoring 'Dragoon the Great'.

"Sire, I must ask you to remain where you are!" One of the guards addressed Arthur, but I did not recognise his voice. I could only assume that, given my status as 'dangerous' and the Prince's whereabouts previously being 'unknown', Uther had increased security levels around the citadel. It was a foolish, pathetic action. I was a sorcerer, not a soldier. If I wanted to kill Camelot's knights and guards, then I wouldn't waste precious time and energy fighting each one in hand-to-hand combat. I would only need to mutter one simple spell and every citizen of Camelot would fall under a deep sleep until I woke them, if I wished it to be so. This only proved that Uther feared something he had not understand. If he knew me at all, then he would have known that I would never harm somebody if there was no provocation or good reason for the attack.

Arthur stood still, assuming that the guard's interruption wouldn't take long, believing it to be a routine check of citizens entering the citadel. When sorcery was concerned, Uther was known to overreact. "It's alright, Joseph. I wasn't followed. Merlin is nowhere to be seen."

I automatically turned around at the mention of my name; it was an involuntary reflex that I would have to work on eradicating. I saw the guard, Joseph, approach Arthur. "I'm sorry Sire, but that's not why I asked you to stop." Before I could really process what was happening - the combination of sleep deprivation and 'Dragoon's' elderly eyesight meant that I was a little slower than I was as my normal, youthful self - Joseph had shackled the Prince's hands together.

"What on Earth are you doing, Joseph?" Arthur spluttered, incredulity spreading rapidly across his face. "Release me at once!"

"Sorry, Sire, orders from the King." Joseph ensured that the chains were fastened securely, and then beckoned another guard to come closer. Together, they escorted the reluctant Prince into the castle. Arthur refrained from protesting too much in order to avoid drawing unnecessary attention that may have been diverted to me, but I could see that he was worried. I rolled my eyes and continued hobbling up the street. It looked like a few amendments needed to be made to our plan. I was so preoccupied with following Arthur that I almost forgot to notice my surroundings. If everything went according to plan, and Ygraine was brought back to life successfully, then this would be the last time that I ever saw Camelot. The last time that I smelled the fresh air, felt the wind blow through my hair , saw children laughing and playing in the grounds of the citadel. Most importantly, I would be leaving behind the two people that I cared most about in this world; Arthur and my mother. On the other hand, my actions would ensure their survival - I had no doubt that Arthur and Guinevere would take care of my mother after I had gone - _and _I would be reunited with Gaius and my father again in the world beyond The Veil.

I shook my head, scattering these thoughts and forcing myself to focus. There was no time for doubt, or second-thoughts. I would do what I had to, regardless of the consequences. It was, after all, my destiny to ensure the future of Albion. The Prince was more likely to become the greatest King of Camelot with his mother at his side, rather than than living as an outlaw with me.

Even in my elderly state, it did not take me long to reach the Great Hall. Adrenaline and magic were pumping through my veins, a potent combination. I could hear Uther venting his wrath on Arthur, alternating between berating him for leaving Camelot and inquiring as to whether he left because I had cast some sort of spell on him. Arthur denied this accusation vehemently, but this would mean nothing to Uther. He would simply argue that Arthur was still bewitched, and would remain so until I was captured. Before I could change my mind, I cast a spell to break down the doors of the Great Hall. If this was going to be my final stance, then I wanted to go down with a fight.

"_Ic abietee paet stanhol!_" Casting a spell in Dragoon's wise voice sounded impressive, and it gained me the attention of each member of the court, including the restrained Prince Arthur. He said nothing, refusing to give away my identity unless it was absolutely necessary in order to ensure that Uther did not have me taken away by the guards before it was completely inevitable.

_You're being reckless, Merlin_. Gaius's voice was chastising me from beyond the grave.

_I know. This must be it then, the end must be approaching, _I thought. I'd never been able to hear Gaius before, nor any other voices of the dead for that matter.

"Guards! It's him, quick!" There was no way that Uther knew who I truly was - Arthur knew me better than anyone and it had still taken him a long time tow work it out - and so he obviously recognised me from our previous encounter, when I had been willing to sacrifice myself in order to save Guinevere when she had wrongly been accused of being a sorceress. As present, I looked like the elderly Dragoon, but that didn't stop Uther from summoning numerous guards to capture one elderly man. In my eyes, this made him appear even more pathetic and feeble. I could forgive Uther's brutality if he knew that 'Dragoon' was really Merlin, because he already knew that _I _possessed great power. By now, Uther would also know of my destiny to become Emrys. However, during Dragoon's last encounter with Uther, no powerful magic had been used at all, only poultices. I struggled to see why Uther was so scared of a man that had only used poultices in the past. They were not exactly advanced magic, nothing that would reveal my identity as Emrys.

I glanced behind me and saw the guards approaching rapidly. My heart sank as I realised that my assailants were Gwaine, Lancelot, Percival, Elyan, and Leon. My friends had no reason to recognise me as Merlin, and so I knew that they would continue to obey the orders of their King. If they knew who Dragoon truly was, their loyalties would be severely tested. It was evident that my friends had been 'demoted', forbidden from completing their more prestigious duties as Knights of Camelot because of their friendship with me, and forced to assume the role of normal guards instead. In Uther's mind, it was the perfect retaliation to exact upon them. From a brief glance, I could see that they were unhappy with their new status, but would never complain because they held my friendship in high esteem, and deemed me to be more important than their Knighthoods. I could only hope to repay their favour shortly. Regretting what I was about to do, knowing that this would be my last chance to see them, my eyes flashed gold and I cast a sleeping enchantment sending them all into a temporary, but deep, sleep. By the time they awoke, I would no longer be here. "_Swefe nu!_"

My friends slumped to the floor, their swords clanging as they hit the ground. A few members of the court gasped, but most had been stunned into silence.

"What have you done to them?" Uther asked, voice shaking. He had pulled Arthur to his feet, still in shackles. King and Prince stood together, appearing to all as a united front against sorcery. I knew better.

"They're just sleeping. You don't really think I'd harm my friends, do you?"

Nothing. There was no spark of comprehension behind Uther's eyes. "You know these men?"

I nodded. "Yes, they are Knights of Camelot, but they are my friends, first and foremost. That's why you've degraded them like this, isn't it Uther? Gwaine, Lancelot, Percival, Elyan and Leon. Friends of the sorcerer Merlin, to be treated with suspicion."

Recognition became evident on Uther's face at my latest sneer. Arthur rolled his eyes, and spoke before his father could. "Enough of the dramatics, Merlin. Care to undo these shackles?"

I gave a wry smile. "Sorry. _Unspanne þás mægþ_."

The shackles fell to the floor, and Arthur immediately drew his father's sword and pointed it at the man's chest.

"Arthur, what on Earth are you doing?" Uther spluttered. He glared at me. "You! You've bewitched him!"

I sighed. "Oh, not this again! I've done nothing to your son. He's my best friend!"

"Don't go getting all sentimental on me, Merlin. As if today wasn't bad enough!" Arthur tried to joke, but it fell on stony ground considering that we were both committing treason, and we both understood what the rest of our plan entailed. "Don't worry, Sire. I'm not going to hurt you, but I need to make sure that Merlin has your full attention."

"If you're _Merlin_," Uther snarled as he said my name, "then why do you look like that old sorcerer? Dragoon, was it?" He paused, pointed a shaking finger at me and addressed the court. "That old fool admitted to using magic to enchant my son in the past. How do we know that he hasn't done the same again?"

Had it not been for the fact that most members of the court were terrified of me, scarcely believing that their Prince threatening the King, then I believe that they would have whispered their agreement in hushed tones.

"Merlin, now might be a good time to change back into..." Arthur waved his spare arm around, searching for the right word whilst keeping the sword in his other hand pointed at Uther. "Back into, well, _you._"

"Okay, I suppose you're right." My disguise had served its purpose; gaining me entrance to Camelot unscathed. Thankfully, I had mastered the spell to reverse the effects of the aging spell without the need for any potion. "_Edniwe min geoguð!" _

I didn't need a mirror to know that I had returned back to my normal self. The clothes that Dragoon had been wearing were suddenly too big for my skinny frame, but now was not the time to be preoccupied by that. Judging by the horrified look on Uther's face, alongside the startled expressions on the faces of the members of the court, I still came across as a 'terrifying sorcerer', despite looking somewhat ridiculous in robes that were much too big.

I took a deep breath. "Right, let's get on with it then, shall we?" This time, I addressed Uther directly, making eye-to-eye contact with the cowering King. "What would you say if I told you that I could bring Ygraine back to life?"


	7. The Tables Turn

**Author's Note: I apologise for the lengthy delay there has been in me updating this story. I started university in September, and so studying has taken up most of my time!**

There was a sharp intake of breath as the assembled audience gasped at my words. Of all the things that they'd been expecting me to do or say, that probably hadn't been one of them. The King himself had turned quite pale from shock, and was wearing an expression of pure disbelief.

"Impossible," he whispered. Seemingly regaining his composure, he spoke again in with a stronger voice. "Don't be ridiculous, Merlin." In that moment, I found it impossible to ignore how similar Uther and Arthur sounded when ridiculing me, though thankfully this seemed to be the only thing of Uther's that Arthur had inherited."Even with magic, what you suggest is impossible. My Queen is dead. _Your people_," he all but spat, "murdered her over twenty years ago. Magic killed her, and it certainly can't bring her back."

"Are you sure, Uther? Because I know _for a fact_ that you don't honestly believe what you're saying any more than I do. According to you, magic is a force for evil, and its use can _never_ be justified. But, that still didn't stop you from imploring Gaius to use it to heal Morgana, did it?" There was another collective gasp from within the Great Hall, but I did my best to ignore it. It would not do to become distracted now. I kept eye contact with Uther, not even daring to glance at Arthur's expression. "All these years, you've slaughtered those who've shown even the slightest magical talent, and yet when Morgana was mortally wounded, you had no scruples in asking Gaius to heal her with the very thing that you then _killed him_ for possessing. You thought that he'd taken your secret to the grave, but he didn't. He lives on in me, as does your secret."

"You can't possibly know anything." Uther's bravado did not quite correspond with the look of fear in his eyes. "You're nothing but a serving boy!"

I rolled my eyes impatiently. "So I've been told, countless times before." I spoke a little louder, now addressing the entire Court instead of just their King. "Though allow me to tell you all something that I don't think that _you'll_ have been told before." I took a deep breath, and stole a glance at Arthur, who was managing to look both wary and intrigued in equal measures. There was a pang in my stomach as I realised how much my next words would hurt him, but I had no choice. The past had to be dealt with before we could move forwards. "The only reason that Arthur, Prince of Camelot, stands before you now is because Uther used magic to aid in his conception."

Cries of "liar" and "impossible" erupted throughout the Great Hall, but when Uther said nothing to contradict me, silence soon replaced the protestations. All eyes were fixed on either Uther, Arthur or myself. Finally, I had everybody's full attention; nobody could feign disinterest any longer. Uther was too preoccupied with Arthur's reaction to notice that I had begun to step closer to them. I had never seen Arthur look so lost, and I wished that there had been another way around this.

"I'm sorry, Arthur," I whispered.

Arthur fixed his gaze on his father. "T-tell me," he broke off to clear his throat, which had become clogged with an impossible amount of simultaneous emotions. "Tell me this isn't true. I need to hear this from your lips."

To an outsider, it looked liked Arthur had lost faith in what I was saying, but I knew better than that. Arthur believed me, he just needed to hear the truth about his birth from the one remaining parent that he had. Arthur needed to be told that he had been born of magic by the very person who had forced him to persecute the sorcerers whose gifts had made his birth possible in the first place. Then, and only then, could I proceed.

Uther took a few moments to collect himself before speaking. "I'm sorry Arthur, but I can't do that. What Merlin says is true. Your birth was only possible because I ordered a sorceress to intervene."

Alarm bells began to ring in my head. This couldn't be right. Uther was admitting to this too easily, especially after the effort he had put in to keep it hidden all these years. I knew better than most that the man simply couldn't be trusted. What was he up to now?

"My poor wife, Ygraine, and I," Uther continued, addressing the entire court now too, "could not conceive naturally. We tried for many months, but to no avail. Meanwhile, the Camelot's safety was purely reliant on a truce between the Four Kingdoms being honoured on all sides. One act of war from any side could have shattered the fragile peace which existed. I knew that Camelot needed an heir in order to secure its future, but my wife and I were struggling to provide the people with one. So, I sought the help of a local sorceress named Nimueh, who promised to assist in the conception of a healthy male heir for Camelot, born of Ygraine and I."

Suddenly, it all became clear to me. Uther was playing on people's sympathies and loyalties, basically saying 'I-Did-It-To-Protect-You-All-And-So-You-Cannot-Bla me-Me-For-My-Actions'.

"However, the sorceress did not tell me the price of my request."

"You never asked!" I exclaimed.

"How do you know?" Uther's eyes narrowed on me. "You weren't there, you didn't have to see what I saw! Nimueh never told me that to give life, life must be taken away. You didn't have to watch as your wife's life was taken in order to grant life to your son! What would you have done? How could you have chosen between them after realising what was happening?"

"I wouldn't have done it in the first place! You profess to have cared for your wife so much, and yet you betrayed her during the time that she needed you most!"

"I have _just told you_ that I _did not know_ that she would die! If I had then I..."

"You what?" I demanded, suddenly fearless. "Are you telling me that, had you known the price of your request, you would have backtracked and remained in a childless marriage with Ygraine, even though you have just acknowledged how risky this would have been for the Kingdom?" When Uther failed to reply, I scoffed. "No, I didn't think so. You would have done anything to father an heir, and in fact you did, didn't you? Before you turned to magic to help you conceive with Ygraine, you had already turned to another woman to provide you with an heir naturally!"

"Morgana," Arthur acknowledged quietly.

"Yes, your sister was intended to be Camelot's heir," I nodded. "I can only assume that when she proved to be a girl, not the boy which the Kingdom craved, Uther proceeded with his plan to manipulate Nimueh into helping Ygraine conceive. No doubt that had Morgana been a boy, the King planned to take her from her birth family and present her as a miracle child, born to himself and Ygraine through some kind of divine intervention."

"Are you telling me," Arthur spoke slowly, "that Morgana's suffering, alongside that of the countless sorcerers that I've been forced to hunt down, was down to the fact that nobody deemed a girl to be worthy enough of the Crown?"

"Partly, yes."

I could not tell for certain what Arthur was thinking or feeling right now. He seemed to have assumed a stoic mask, as his attention turned to Uther. "Would my mother have been worthy of the Crown, if you had died and she had lived? Would she have been capable of ruling Camelot satisfactorily until I came of age?"

A few tears formed in Uther's eyes, but I could not tell if they were truly genuine and remorseful. "Your mother was a strong, beautiful, intelligent woman, and I have no doubt that, had things gone differently, she would have been both an excellent Queen and mother until you were ready to assume the throne."

Arthur nodded once, eyes stormy and expression cold, evidently resolving himself to a course of action.

"Merlin," he addressed me directly. "I assume that you are still willing to go through with our plan, and bring my mother back."

"Yes," I said simply.

"Good. Although, I have one amendment which needs to be made to it."

I frowned. "Which is?"

"You will not be sacrificing your own life to do so." Arthur pointed his sword at Uther once more. "You'll be sacrificing _his_."


End file.
